Deer Carcasses Found On Cars In YMCA Parking Lot

ST. CLOUD -- St. Cloud police have questioned two people who allegedly left deer carcasses on two vehicles. The incident happened at about 9:45 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of the YMCA in St. Cloud.

The two victims found the carcasses on the hoods of their cars. Both say they didn't see anything suspicious, nor did they have any issues with anyone that evening. No damage was done to the vehicles.

Both of the victims are Somali, and considerations were made by police if that played a factor in the incident, however, there was nothing in or on the vehicles that would identify the race of the driver.

Video from the parking lot revealed the identities of a 62-year-old white man from St. Cloud and his 14-year-old son as the two people responsible for the act. Specifically, it was determined that the boy placed the carcasses, while the father stayed in the vehicle knowing what was happening.

The video shows the suspects arriving just after 8:30 p.m. in a pickup, driving directly into a parking stall next to the two victim's vehicles which were already parked and unoccupied. The two suspects went inside the YMCA and also used the facility until about 9:15 p.m. when they can be seen returning to their truck, looking into the truck bed, and then discarded the carcasses.

In a taped statement, police say the suspects indicated they needed to get rid of the carcasses and decided to dump them in that manner.

It is not believed the suspects knew either of the victims.

The report is being forwarded to the city attorney for a long form complaint of all relevant charges.